asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state the amount paid in fees on behalf of the Dublin Broadcasting Station for the past twelve months to—(a) civil servants; (b) the wives of civil servants; and if he will consider the issue of an instruction that in future employment be confined as far as possible to professional artists having no other means of livelihood.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Broadcasting Station.
Mr. Connolly
The total amount of fees paid to artists engaged at the Dublin Broadcasting Station during the past twelve months is £11,984 14s. 6d. Of this amount, £341 1s. 6d. was paid to artistes who are civil servants. No record is available as to what artistes are wives of civil servants.
I am in favour of giving broadcasting engagements to professional artistes as far as possible but it would clearly not be in the interests of the broadcasting service to exclude any first-class talent available.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether he is aware that the services of six members of the orchestra of the Dublin Broadcasting Station have been summarily dispensed with; whether he is aware that four of these musicians were appointed to their present posts on their merit by an independent Selection Board; that they have held these posts for over six years and have discharged their duties to the satisfaction not only of the Broadcasting Authorities but of the public at large; if he will state why, in view of the fact that 19 appointments are being made to the orchestra of the Dublin Broadcasting Station and that the existing members are competent and experienced, 13 new appointments were not advertised, thus retaining the existing members of the orchestra as the nucleus of the new body; whether the Minister is prepared to give an assurance that these six officials will be re-engaged in the new orchestra which is being formed.
Mr. Connolly
The members of the present orchestra, who are employed on a temporary basis, have been given notice of discharge with the intimation that they are eligible to apply for reengagement in the new orchestra and under the new conditions. Their claims and qualifications will be fully considered by the Selection Board which I have set up to test all the applicants.
Does the Minister say that the appointments of members to a staff by a Board of Selection in 1926 are temporary appointments?
Mr. Connolly
All the appointments to the Broadcasting Orchestra are temporary appointments and will be temporary appointments.
I do not think that that was made clear and I do not think it is fair that these people, who went up for examination, who were appointed and who have given good service since, should be served with notice of dismissal now. Surely they should get some preferential treatment in the new appointments?
Mr. Connolly
Anyone who is not an established civil servant is on a temporary basis, and I might go further and say that it is the general view of the musical directors that it is desirable to change at intervals of about two years the members of the orchestra, to freshen the orchestra. The terms of the new appointments will be made subject to one week's notice with a view to two years' engagement, but there is nothing binding, either on the applicant to remain or on the Department to keep them longer than one week. They will all be subject to one week's notice. That is the position.
Is the Minister setting a headline for industrial concerns?
Might I ask the Minister, before he takes any action in this matter, to consider the qualifications of four of the present staff? As I said, they were appointed by a Board of Selection in 1926. As I understand the position, they have given good service and their qualifications have been recommended by the Director and others. Is it fair that the services of these people should be dispensed with at a few weeks' notice?
Mr. Connolly
A Board of Selection of three eminent musicians has been appointed which will make the selection of the applicants for these positions. Those people who are at present engaged in the orchestra are competent and able to compete for these positions, but I want to make it clear that nobody in the orchestra has a privileged position and they are all unestablished employees of the State.
And six years' service does not give one any special privilege?
Mr. Connolly
On the contrary, it might be considered that they had got all the privileges they were entitled to during the six years.
Might I ask the Minister again, is he setting a headline for industrial concerns, and is this part of the new Christian Social policy?
Mr. Connolly
The Deputy's question does not, I think, arise, and I do not propose to deal with it.
Is the Minister announcing a new policy in administration? Why are these Appointments Commissions, to which he refers, not run on the same basis as Local Appointments Commissions? Why is the identity of the Commissioners not kept secret until they are actually considering the applications, as is the practice under the Local Appointments Commission?
Mr. Connolly
There is no change in the method of selection. There are three competent musicians who will select the orchestra——
They have already been appointed?
Mr. Connolly
These three musicians have already been appointed.
Would the Minister consider the application of these conditions to his own Government?
Has the Minister's submission, that, having had six years' service with the Broadcasting Orchestra, they had got enough, been supported by the musical advisers, or is it part of the terms of reference in connection with the appointments? What I want to get from the Minister is whether that will be his own view when he considers the report from the selection board, or is it one of the considerations that will operate with the selection board?
Mr. Connolly
There are no conditions laid down for the selectors. They will make their selection on their judgment of who are the most competent people. I may say, however, that it will be the desire of the present Minister to appoint people who are professional musicians and who are dependent mainly on their musical work for their livelihood.